ST- I was wondering about your thoughts and opinions on finisher medals. Is it a good thing because it makes everyone feel like they did a great job, or is it a negative thing because it teaches people they don’t need to work as hard and they still get a medal?
For a sprint or Oly race I think they are extremely cringe worthy. Give me $1.50 off my entry fee instead.
Its a momento from the race for most people and an easy way to make people feel good about finishing and participating. If it bothers you that you podium’d and some others “beneath” you are getting a medal too then you’re just a dick.
The race t-shirt is a sufficient memento for me. With that said, if I ever qualify for and finish Kona, I’d cherish that finisher medal a bit. I guess it’s all relative. For some, completing a 5K is a significant accomplishment. For others finishing Kona is no big deal…
Don’t worry about the signal it sends. Take your medals and send them to a great charity:
Every last medal I’ve received, including Kona, is hanging around some kids neck. I’m not sure what anyone hopes to gain by displaying them at home with a Mensa T shirt or some such crap.
Jamie
Never really cared either way before I had kids. Now it’s the highlight of my 2 year old daughters day when she gets to wear the “necklace that daddy won for me.”
That’s pretty cool. But at the end, all my medals from sprint to ironman are in a box. All the age group awards are in there also.
Would a pint glass or something like that be better, yes it would but are you really going to complain that your race fee was $1.50 more because they gave out medals. In the grand scheme, even a $100 race, $1.50 is less the. The active.com fee.
Not everyone is in this to win it and in our adult lives we are all here to just stay healthy and reach a goal, whatever that may be.
***At the Westchester Toughman, you had the option to give your medal back and it went to a fundraiser and to sick kids that were at the race. Cool idea for those that don’t care bc like my daughter, those kids were overwhelmed with joy playing with their medals.
Cut off the ribbons and use them for fridge magnets
.
I have seen some people work super HARD to get a finishers medal. Hard in the race and hard in the preparation. I don’t keep my T-shirt’s but the medals are a great reminder of the story each one represents. I am all for them.
I don’t think it’s a negative. A finisher’s medal is just that - a finisher’s medal.
I’m ok with it. In fact, I love mine. Giving them to my niece or son is a great thing imo. Keeping them is fine too (although they just go in a drawer if I don’t give them away).
The guys that say dumb shit like “They’re a waste of time - just give me a discount off the race entry” really don’t understand that the finisher’s medals are more for the people who put the time and effort into a race that they probably never thought they could do than it is for the seasoned triathlete.
Maybe many don’t care because they’ve been racing for years. But there are also many who are new to the sport and
finishing in itself is an accomplishment. Some are getting into local tris, run races etc. to lose weight, get fit, etc. and getting
a medal represents something to them.
I entered my first triathlon, a sprint, last year and did not receive a finisher medal and was a bit bummed. Did an Olympic next and knew if I finished the race I would get a medal and that was drive for me. Something to remember my accomplishment. From being a couch potato to doing an olympic triathlon in 4 months I was pretty proud to do that. And anybody that thinks those medals cost $1.50 are way off. Multiple colors and enamel colorfills with the cost of setups $50 for each color and if diecast there can be a $300 initial setup, are actually more in the range of $6-10. each depending on quality. Plus freight of say 600 medals of $100. So if you have a 4 color medal that is $200 in setups plus $100 in freight. 600 medals multiplied by say $6 plus tax is about $4000 for medals. Maybe you should know the facts next time 
So it must mean a lot to finishers to continue to pay to have them. I know the pricing too, I own a trophy and awards business.
I love every last one of my medals.
They all tell a story…
I love every last one of my medals.
They all tell a story…
Yes they do. Yes they do…
http://i41.tinypic.com/dm3bx2.jpg
Never really cared either way before I had kids. Now it’s the highlight of my 2 year old daughters day when she gets to wear the “necklace that daddy won for me.”
That’s pretty cool. But at the end, all my medals from sprint to ironman are in a box. All the age group awards are in there also.
Would a pint glass or something like that be better, yes it would but are you really going to complain that your race fee was $1.50 more because they gave out medals. In the grand scheme, even a $100 race, $1.50 is less the. The active.com fee.
Not everyone is in this to win it and in our adult lives we are all here to just stay healthy and reach a goal, whatever that may be.
***At the Westchester Toughman, you had the option to give your medal back and it went to a fundraiser and to sick kids that were at the race. Cool idea for those that don’t care bc like my daughter, those kids were overwhelmed with joy playing with their medals.
If you have kids they are a huge plus. If not, it’s a push. Neither good nor bad. If they hand them out great. If not, wouldn’t think twice about it.
I did a small local 13.1 a few weeks ago and I was not only surprised that they bothered to have medals, but that the one they passed out looked like something Flava Flav would rock. Huge, and my son loved it.
For a sprint or Oly race I think they are extremely cringe worthy. Give me $1.50 off my entry fee instead.
Why?
Of the dozen that I have, only one means much to me. My first tri was a 70.3 and represents a 15 month transformation from a fat lazy smoker to an athlete. I cherish it. I’ve managed to win some AG medals for placing in some races since then and if I only kept one it would be the 70.3 finisher.
For that reason I am all for finisher medals because for some people just finishing is a great accomplishment. I also like the idea of using them to make a kids day and who knows maybe inspire them young to pursue athletics so they don’t make the mistakes I’ve made.
What do you mean they don’t work as hard? There have been plenty of people who have gone on ST over the years who have stated that they KQ on less than 12 hour of training per week or BQ on 35 mpw of running. There are plenty of people who will never KQ and BQ who have worked harder than that during training.
The more I race, the less the medals mean to me. However, I still have my first Boston Marathon medal, my first Ironman medal, and my first marathon medal. It’s a reminder of the good times I had trying to get those. I don’t begrude anyone from placing great values in their medals … whether it’s the local Turkey Trot 3k, Boston, or Kona. To each is his own. We should pay more attention in what’s going on our lives than what’s going on in other people’s lives and their value system.
ST- I was wondering about your thoughts and opinions on finisher medals. Is it a good thing because it makes everyone feel like they did a great job, or is it a negative thing because it teaches people they don’t need to work as hard and they still get a medal?
I have not seen any Sprint or Oly races that give out finisher medals around Ontario.
Podium finishers get medals, and the little kids tri races give out medals, and all the 5km+ running events seem to have a medal.
I’m even not thrilled about IM finisher medals. I feel a little torn about having a medal when about half the people finished before me.
ST- I was wondering about your thoughts and opinions on finisher medals. Is it a good thing because it makes everyone feel like they did a great job, or is it a negative thing because it teaches people they don’t need to work as hard and they still get a medal?
You don’t work hard at a Sprint or Oly Tri?
My two 5 year olds think they are awesome. They each have a handful hanging off the post of their beds.